Some things you hear

[Dorset Hedgelayer]

Was at a contest at weekend,

A very well spoken gent with lady in tow,

sharing all his hedgelaying knowledge with her.

The good lady pointed out the hedge was all going the same way,

(a short period of silence)

then the gent informed her that if you look at the workers there all right handed, that will be why.

 

Sometimes its best to leave them in there own world, Im sure its safest

[difflock]

So,

What determines the "lay" of the hedge?

Do you not of preference "cut to your hand".

i.e. me being right handed would find it more natural to forehand cut the side of the stem facing my right hand, than backhand cut the side to my left hand.

Which I presume would affect the direction of the lay.

marcus

[mixedangased]

i always thought you lay uphill,but im no hedge layer

[pendleton8471]

just started to learn about hedge laying (Devon hedges) and i got told uphill to. do you do drains ditch's with the hedge to?

[difflock]

Obviously proceeding uphill the branches can be bent less from the vertical, but still be nearer the slope of the ground, and so present a better stock proof barrier.

Some of us live in the Moss where it be virtually flat.

[peatff]

So what if the ground is flat ? When we used to do them it depended which side of the hedge you were standing.

[difflock]

Well, exactly!

[hedgesparrow]

always lay uphill so it makes the sap rise on the new pleach and get more vigorous growth if you laid downhill the sap would run out as for laying i get right hand hedges on one at mo i am left handed makes it a bit difficult getting to pleach as trying to cut in the hedge. but if right handed and got a left hand hedge be the same. as for lat ground lay south of england do not lay flat on ground want it sloping a bit with new pleach laying on top so thick in bottom to stop any animal but finishes 3 to 4ft tall at end

[markieg31]

In the btcv hedge laying hand book it says you can lay down hill aswell, and I have done.

[hedgesparrow]

well the chap who started me in hedgelaying |John Savings Prince charles trainer always said lay uphill and other master cutters i have been with have allways said lay uphill. there are times that a stem needs laiying other way to fill a hole but then have it up in air a bit to make the sap rise. so as for Btcv saying lay downhill well take it with a pinch of salt or use the paper it was written on for lighting the brash from hedge.